14-year-old held in Pathankot espionage case; police flag digital grooming by ISI networks

Police say the Class-IX student was allegedly groomed online, coerced into filming sensitive sites and tracked through his mobile phone.

• Punjab police arrested a 14-year-old recruited online by Pakistani intelligence.
• Boy was coerced into mapping military sites; phone cloned for remote data access
• Police urge parents to monitor kids' online activity and mental health closely

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Security forces in Punjab have apprehended a 14-year-old boy allegedly recruited by Pakistani intelligence to map sensitive military installations, uncovering what police described as a new digital front in cross-border espionage, according to a report by Times of India.

The case has raised concerns within security agencies about the use of online platforms to target vulnerable minors along the border, with investigators warning of wider national security risks if such activity goes undetected.

A digital trail led investigators to the boy

Pathankot senior superintendent of police Daljinder Singh Dhillon told Times of India that the boy was tracked through a “flow of intelligence” that led investigators to his mobile phone.

According to police, data recovered from the device showed direct contact with Pakistan Army officials and narco-terror operatives. Investigators claim the teenager entered Pakistan-based chat rooms where handlers posing as friendly contacts identified him as a “soft target”.

“They allegedly promised him weapons and support, eventually coercing him into conducting photography and videography of high-security border sites,” Dhillon told TOI. He added that the phone had been cloned using a malicious application, allowing handlers remote access to the boy’s data.

Psychological vulnerabilities allegedly exploited

The investigation revealed that the boy, born in 2011, had lost his father and was living with extended family while dealing with diagnosed psychological disorders, including bipolar tendencies, the Times of India report said.

Authorities believe these vulnerabilities, combined with the teenager’s technical curiosity, were exploited to pressure him into supplying sensitive information, effectively turning a Class-IX student into a state asset.

Probe expands beyond the arrest

The minor has been produced before a juvenile court and moved to a juvenile home. However, police said the investigation has widened beyond his arrest.

Pathankot police have shared intelligence with authorities in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir to identify other individuals who may have been targeted using similar methods. Officials told TOI that the boy had allegedly been supplying information for “quite some time” before being intercepted.

“Fortunately, we were able to save our boy in time,” Dhillon said. “Any further delay could have caused serious harm to him and posed a significant threat to national security.”

Police issue warning to parents

The case has prompted an urgent advisory from law enforcement urging parents to closely monitor online interactions, social media platforms and chat room activity.

Dhillon advised families to implement strict parental controls on mobile devices and remain alert to sudden behavioural changes, particularly in children with existing mental health challenges.

Police say the case underscores how espionage tactics are evolving, with digital platforms increasingly used to reach across borders and into homes—turning online spaces into potential security flashpoints.